Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which a load transmission member projecting by a predetermined length in a vehicle width direction is provided in at least one of an outer side of a rocker outer panel in the vehicle width direction and an inner side of a rocker molding in the vehicle width direction, both of which correspond to a lateral part of a sitting occupant. According to the conventional technique, at the time of a side collision, a collision object abuts with the load transmission member before the collision object abuts with the rocker outer panel, so that an impact load can be transmitted to a side collision sensor more quickly.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4186967